Screw-stopper lock



(No Model.)

E. W. LUCE. sow STOPPBR' Loo-K.

N0.49o,356. Patented Jana-4,1893.

Nrrnn STATES EDWIN W. LUCE, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SCREW-STOPPER LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,356, dated January24, 1893.

Application filed March 17, 1892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. LUCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements inScrew-Stopper Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

lNIy invention relates to meansfor stopping openings, such as fillingopenings in cans, bung holes in barrels and the like, and is in thenature, broadly, of a screw stopper provided with means whereby it isinserted, and by reason of its peculiar construction, is, by suchinsertion, locked into its closed position so that a key, is required,for its removal.

Myinvention consists in the improved construction, arrangement andcombination of parts which will be now fully described and specificallypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figurel is a plan view of my improvedstopper in its closed or locked position showing part of a vessel towhich it is attached,in this instance part of the top of a metallicvessel being shown. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through thesame. Fig. 3 is a plan and section of the screw sleeve. Fig. 4 is a planand section of the screw stopper. Fig. 5 is a reverse plan and sectionof the cap. Fig. 6 is a section through the cap, screw stopper andsleeve with the key in position for operation.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts in all the figures of thedrawings:

Referring to the drawings by letters of reference, A marks the top of acan, cask or barrel having an opening in which a metallic threadedsleeve B is secured in any suitable manner, as by soldering orotherwise. A stopper or bung C lits into the sleeve B,the interiorthread of sleeve B fitting and engaging with exterior thread of stopperC at D, (Fig. 2). The stopper C has in its upper surfacea hollow E .andthis hollow is covered by a cap F having its outer edges turned over theannular flanges G of the stopper. A packing Serial No. 425,263. (Nomodel.)

ringHis placed between thesleeve and stopper to secure a close joint. Iprefer to let this structure into the wall or top of the vessel to whichit is to be attached so that it will, when constructed as described,present a smooth flush surface in which condition it will readily beseen that it will be extremely difficult to remove the stopper from itsseat to open the 6o vessel.

To provide means whereby it may be readily opened by authorizedpersonsis the special object of my present invention and I carry out thatobjectin the following manner. The cap F has a central opening I throughwhich a suitable key may be entered and has on its under surface adepending guard .I which forms almost a complete circle, an openingbeing left at K to permit the point of the key, 7o which works on a pinL to pass through the guard and seat itself in a notch N in the innerwall of the hollow stopper. The key I have marked M and itis providedwith a barrel O to fit over pin L, a linger or foot P to pass throughopening K and guard J, and a raised toe Q to engage in a notch N. Whenthe parts are secured together the opening K in guard J is opposite tothe notch N. The opening I in cap F being circular in shape 8c and onlya little larger than the stem of the key, the key can only be insertedby passing finger P through the openingI in the cap, laterally, andfinally inserting the stem. For this reason the pin L does not rise tothe level of the cap but is slightly lower, and in order to facilitatethe entrance of the key, the pin is made conical in shape. It .the ngeris started in any other direction than toward l the opening K in theguard, the guard will 9o prevent it reaching the stopper and it willbeinoperative, but if it is properly entered, the stopper may be turned torelease it, by turning the key whose toe will then be in engagement withthe notch N. In order to facilitate the entry of the key by authorizedpersons, the proper direction may be indicated by any suitable markingupon the top of the cap, or otherwise.

Having thus fully described the construcroo tion and operation of myinvention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:-

l. The combination of the hollow screw stopper, the cap thereon having acentral opening for the insertion of the key, guards arranged betweenthe cap and stopper, and obstructions in the path of the key to cause itto engage with and turn the stopper as set forth.

2. The combination of the hollow screwstopper having central pin andnotch N, and the cap having guard J and opening K, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

3. The combination With the top or Wall of a vessel, of a sleeve, ahollow screw stopper, and a cap, engaging each other, and let into thewall or top flush with the surface thereof and having an opening toadmit a key, the cap being provided with suitable key guards,

and the screw stopper with notches, to propp erly obstruct and permitthe entrance and engagement of the key with the stopper, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the screw stopper having a notched rim, and a caphaving a key aperture, said cap being attached to the stopper andconcealing the notch; substantially as described.

Intestiinony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWIN IV. LUCE. Vitnesses:

A. W. MCCLINTOCK, H. A. CAMPFIELD.

